Johnny pushed his sunglasses further back on top of his head and his face broke into a smile. ‘My pleasure.’
She watched the group of them retreat across the sand, the girls holding hands, swaying to the music, or maybe it was from the cocktails earlier. The moon was now high in the sky, and she felt a shiver of excitement.
19
She followed Johnny back to the main road, her flip-flops making a thwacking sound along the beach until they finally hit the concrete pavements with bars and restaurants.
‘Had fun tonight?’ Johnny asked, linking arms with her as they jostled between the lively crowds on the side of the road. She was aware of the warmth of his body, the natural rhythm of them walking in step, a mellow feeling settling over her like molten honey spreading through her body.
She looked up at him. ‘You know what? I did.’
They walked in silence alongside the busy road, music pumping out of the bars, the noisy taxis and scooters whizzing past honking their horns, the pungent smell of diesel and the sweet-sour stench of rotting fruit.
‘Shall we?’ Johnny tilted his head to their regular haunt.
At first Maddie hesitated. It seemed wrong to be with him without the crowd. On their own. ‘Sure.’
The only seats left were at the back of the bar, in a booth. She slid into the seat, glad of the air conditioning. ‘I’ll grab us two vodkas on ice,’ said Johnny, leaning over the table.
When he returned to the booth, instead of sitting opposite her he slid in next to her. She smiled and turned towards him, picking up her glass, not sure what the rules were in this new uncharted territory, out alone with an attractive man. He smelt of coconuts and beer. ‘Cheers.’ She lifted the glass to her lips and took a huge gulp.
He slowly nodded at her and picked up his glass. She felt the warm syrupy liquid travel down her throat and was glad of the fire that picked up in the pit of her belly. His eyes fixed on her. ‘Maddie,’ he said, leaning closer, ‘can I ask you something?’
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, inhaling the scent of him. Part-exhilarated, part-terrified. What she did know was that his leg was pressing next to hers, the firmness of it, the solidness. ‘What are you running away from?’
‘I’m not, um, running away, I’m here to see Ed.’ Images of Tim away for weeks on business, at the golf club at the weekends, her at home with Taffie for company, came flashing into her brain. Johnny’s face was inches away. She could see his pupils dilate, the way his gold earring glinted in the bar’s lights, his slow, easy smile .
‘You were, but not anymore.’
Her heart thudded in her chest. Having a drink alone with Johnny was different. It was not the same as going to the festival with friends. It was dangerously different; Maddie shivered and felt all her senses heighten. Was it the air conditioning or was it her? She was suddenly very aware of her breasts and saw Johnny glance at her hardened nipples. He placed a hand over hers on the table. ‘This Maddie, the one I see now, she’s fun. But the woman who got off the plane was a frightened mouse.’ He stroked her hand with his thumb.
‘Of course I was frightened – Ed was in hospital.’
‘That’s not what I mean.’ He leant back, put both his arms up above his head and stretched. When he brought them down he placed both hands on her bare legs.
Maddie took a big slug of her drink, grateful for something to do as Johnny gazed at her.
She was playing with fire and she knew it. But part of her wanted this, part of her was exhilarated by it. It wasn’t as if he was groping her under the table or – wait! She became aware of his hand sliding up along her thigh and she let out a gasp. His eyes widened next to her and she could feel her heart flutter a million times; he kept his gaze on her as he slowly traced a line up from her knee, up over her tanned leg, just to the top of her shorts. When it reached the very top, he gave it a gentle squeeze, pressing his fingertips into the soft flesh at the top of her thigh, then made little circles with his thumb.